Preacher's son Willett vents anger at rules official

AUGUSTA, Georgia (Reuters) - Danny Willett gave a rules official, who had been in his line-of-sight, a verbal blast which was clearly audible to spectators surrounding the 17th green at the Masters on Thursday.

Englishman Willett vented his anger after his second shot from beyond the green trickled all the way across the putting surface and left the preacher's son facing a bogey or worse.

"Of anyone you should know the rules," Willett shouted loudly at the official, who was sitting about 60 yards away in a golf cart, outside the gallery ropes.

Willett was still visibly angry as he left the green after salvaging a bogey, though he had calmed down by time he spoke to reporters about 30 minutes later.

He said his ire had been raised because the official had been in his line-of-sight as he was preparing to play his shot.

"We were being timed (for slow play), which I can appreciate," Willett said after carding a one-under 71 at Augusta National.

"It's a little bit tricky out here, so it takes a little bit of time, but you'd like to think the referee that's timing you knows exactly where to put his buggy and where not to put his buggy."

Willett, 27, a two-time European Tour winner, is playing in his first Masters.